Washington, DC – The New York Times, citing four US officials, reported that the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its accompanying ships will be deployed to the Middle East. The report also indicated that the carrier is not expected to return to its home ports before mid- to late May. According to the report, the Ford’s crew was notified of the deployment on Thursday, February 12. This move represents an escalation in US military activity in the region. In recent days, US President Donald Trump announced his intention to send an additional aircraft carrier to the Middle East. This deployment is intended to increase pressure on Iran, as part of what he described as bolstering US military readiness.
The USS Ford departed its home port of Norfolk, Virginia, on Tuesday. Its original plan was a European cruise. Later, its course was altered as part of the “maximum pressure” campaign against Caracas. It was redirected to the Caribbean and remained in Venezuelan waters. Fighter jets from the Ford participated in the January 3 attack on the Venezuelan capital. They also reportedly contributed to the capture of former President Nicolás Maduro.
The New York Times reported that the sailors aboard the ship had initially expected to return home in about two weeks. However, the new deployment will delay their planned return to the Virginia coast, where the ship was scheduled to undergo major upgrades and maintenance. Hours before the New York Times report was published, Donald Trump retweeted a Wall Street Journal report on his social media platform, Truth Social. The report discussed the Pentagon’s preparations to send a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East. The Wall Street Journal had previously reported that, as the U.S. military prepared for a possible strike on Tehran, the Pentagon had ordered a second carrier strike group to prepare for deployment to the region. This move reflects escalating military tensions.
